Racing: Butt needs miracle to win NZ Cup

Mah Sish.

The problem with producing miracles is that after a while people start to expect them.

Training genius Tim Butt says there will be no miracle from Mah Sish in tomorrow's $650,000 New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington.

Mah Sish started the season one of the favourites for the great race after a rampaging Australian campaign last term in which he won the Hunter and Ballarat Cups and finished second in the Interdominion.

With natural improvement, great manners and stamina, he looked the perfect New Zealand Cup contender.

The only problem is, Mah Sish has barely run past a horse in four starts this campaign, his best result being a sixth of 10 two starts ago. His fall from grace has left Butt stumped.

"To my eye, he looks perfect. Apart from what he is doing on the track," Butt said yesterday.

"His blood is great, the coat looks spot on and he is working well. But he simply isn't the same horse as he was last season. Not so far, at least."

Being Tim Butt comes with its big-race pressures because all season punters have been waiting for him to pull the rabbit out of the hat.

Most harness racing fans remember him doing just that in 2007, when Flashing Red went into the Cup well down on his best form but almost unfathomably overcame a 15m handicap to beat Monkey King.

After having earlier weaned champion trotter Lyell Creek off Lasix after his United States career and taken him back to the top again, Butt is routinely expected to do what other trainers can't.

"I know there are people out there who think we can turn them around for the big races but I just don't see it happening," says Butt.

"With Flashing Red it was different. He had little issues and we eliminated them one by one right up till Cup day.

"But Mah Sish seems and looks fine. We have been taking him to the beach but, really, there is not a lot more we can do."

Mah Sish could well return to his best in Australia later this season but Butt concedes maybe he went right to the bottom of the well with the gelding last season.

"He had a long, busy season and it was the right thing to do because he won nearly $800,000 without having to take on Terror To Love or Christen Me much."

Therein could lie the problem, as Mah Sish is a son of Mach Three, whose best stock are world-class when right but are prone to hitting the wall after hard campaigns - think of Auckland Reactor or Captain Joy.

Butt's frustration with Mah Sish is mirrored by his other Australian star of last season, Vulcan, who has won 10 group ones but is racing like a lower-grade battler.

"He is a very funny horse because when he is right, which is usually in Australia, he is a machine," said Butt.

"But when any little thing goes wrong he can completely lose form.

"I think he is on the way back up but Peak is our better chance in the big trots this week."

Peak is the Swedish import who won fresh up for the Butt brothers at Ashburton two weeks ago so impressively that driver Anthony has chosen him over Vulcan.

"Peak has improved since Ashburton and will keep getting better," says Butt. "He is very close to being the real deal and while he has a great chance on Tuesday he is a super stayer, so the race which will really suit him is the Dominion on Friday."